


Cooking

by fly_sekkiski



Series: In the End it Was Probably De Groot's Fault [5]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-06-01 21:10:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6536437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fly_sekkiski/pseuds/fly_sekkiski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newlyweds Abigail and Billy have a few issues in the kitchen and have to call on Silver for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cooking

**Author's Note:**

> Just some fluff, while I work on other parts of my Ashebones series. I'm not entirely clear myself when or where this takes place, but certainly some time in the future in some kind of semi-civilized pirate-ish haven that may or may not be Nassau.

‘Abigail, my lovely little wife,’ Billy whispered in Abigail’s ear, ‘I’m getting hungry. Do we have anything to eat?’

‘Yes, in fact we do,’ Abigail replied. She attempted to shift Billy, who was lying on top of her, but despite her efforts, failed to budge him.

Billy just laughed at Abigail’s frustration for a moment and then rolled off to one side. He tucked one arm under his head and smiled lazily. ‘Go on.’

‘I went to the market this morning,’ Abigail resumed, ‘and I got us some pork, potatoes, onions, a turnip and some greens. Also, lemons, limes, _two_ pineapples, bread, cheese, salt and some spices.’

‘I hope you didn’t carry all that home by yourself!’ Billy exclaimed, still smiling.

‘Oh no!’ Abigail shook her head. ‘The butcher’s boy brought it round. He’s ever so keen to be helpful.’

Billy’s smile turned into a scowl. ‘I’m sure he is,’ he said irritably.

‘Don’t be grumpy,’ Abigail chided with a placatory kiss. ‘It’s only until we get a garden going.’ Abigail had great plans for a kitchen garden stocked with vegetable plants. For the moment, however, the garden consisted only of plans and not plants. 

In the kitchen, Billy and Abigail surveyed her market purchases: on a large platter rested the shoulder of pork – still raw – a vision of pink and white marbled flesh. Potatoes, still in their skins, were heaped in a basket on the floor next to another basket with onions. The citruses and pineapples graced the table in a bowl. The greens stood upright in an urn of water to keep them fresh and a huge, fat turnip sat proudly atop the stove.

Abigail chose three large potatoes from the basket and lined them up neatly on the counter. After a moment of reflection she added an onion. Then she took a knife out of a drawer and placed it next to the onion.

Billy watched Abigail carefully consider the shoulder of pork. He hefted the turnip in one hand. It was a fine, round specimen of a root vegetable. ‘Shall I chop the turnip for you?’ He wanted to be helpful.

Abigail turned from the meat, which she hadn’t yet touched, and looked thoughtful. ‘Yes?’ she said after a long moment, although she still seemed a little unsure.

Billy picked up a large knife and was about to cleave the turnip in two but then he hesitated. ‘Does it need to be peeled first?’ he asked.

‘Hmmmm.’ Abigail chewed on her lower lip for a second but didn’t appear to have an answer for that one. She picked up her newly purchased sack of salt and then put it down again. Billy watched her carefully survey in turn the enormous shoulder of pork, the great round turnip, the line of potatoes and the verdant bunches of greens.

‘It doesn’t have to be complicated,’ he told her reassuringly. ‘Something simple will be fine. I’ll eat anything, really,’ he added truthfully.

Abigail stared at the ground for a long moment and then made a gesture of helplessness. She turned to him. ‘Billy, to be honest, I’ve never cooked anything in my life. The servants always took care of the food.’ Her eyes were troubled and tears threatened. ‘I’m not sure that I am going to be a very good wife to you.’

Abigail hid her face against his chest as Billy took her in his arms. He felt his shirt grow moist, but also felt her nod when he asked her if she understood that as long as she was happy with him nothing else mattered. And, indeed, it was the truth that Billy and Abigail were too blissful together for something as trivial as an uncooked dinner to dampen their spirits.

Abigail leaned out of Billy’s embrace just far enough to dry her eyes. ‘I promise to learn how to cook properly as fast as I can from you, Billy, but I’m afraid that for the moment, you had better take charge of the kitchen.’

Billy released her and rubbed one hand roughly over his face. ‘Um ... well ... the thing is, I don’t know how to cook either,’ he admitted.

‘But didn’t you have to cook on the ship?’ she asked in astonishment.

Billy shook his head. ‘It was Randall at first, then Silver, who did all the cooking.’ He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. ‘You know, that’s not a bad idea. Maybe I should just go find Silver.’

‘No, no.’ Abigail was adamant. ‘I’m sure we can figure it out if we do it together, right?’ She rose to the very tips of her tiptoes and just managed enough reach to give her new husband a kiss on the chin. ‘Now then,’ she said confidently, surveying their kitchen again, ‘I think we need to light the ovens first. I seem to remember someone once saying that ovens had to be brought to the right temperature before you began cooking the food.’

Abigail and Billy crouched down side by side. Billy opened the oven door. Together they stared into its vast, dark cavern.

‘You know what,’ Billy said as he straightened up, ‘I’m going to go get Silver.’

‘Yes,’ replied Abigail, taking his hand and rising to her feet. ‘I think that may be for the best.’

Abigail disappeared to wash the remnants of tears from her face. Billy changed his shirt and then stepped out though his front door.

John Silver was relaxing on the porch with his artificial leg supported atop of one of Abigail’s flower pots. Billy stopped dead in his tracks. ‘What are you doing here?’ he demanded. ‘I was just about to—’

Silver grinned. ‘Go looking for me?’ he finished.

Billy’s eyes narrowed. ‘How did you guess that?’ he asked suspiciously.

‘Well, you see, I spotted the charming Mrs Bones doing her shopping this morning. So I figured that by about the middle of the afternoon you two newlyweds would be needing some help with that fine pork joint she picked up.’ Silver gave Billy a sly look up and down. ‘It would appear, though, that I underestimated you somewhat, Billy. I’ve been sitting out here on your porch for hours waiting on you to emerge from in there.’

Billy began to sputter, but before he could retort Abigail popped her head out the door. She wore a look of confusion. ‘I thought I heard voices? And it’s true – here you are, back already!’

Billy was still trying to decide what explanation to make for his speedy yet successful return, but Abigail had turned her attention to Silver.

‘I feel very silly asking, but if you’d be so kind, John, we need your expertise in the kitchen. As a small token of thanks you would be more than welcome to dine with us. Billy eats like a horse—’ here Abigail threw an indulgent look at her husband, ‘—but even so, I think there will be more than enough for three.’

John rose awkwardly from his seat and sketched a bow. ‘I’m always at your service, Mrs Bones.’

Abigail laughed and disappeared back into the house. The two men could hear her inside calling for them to hurry up.

Silver made to follow her but Billy detained him by the left arm with a glower. ‘You planned this, didn’t you?’ he said accusingly.

‘What a thing to suggest,’ Silver replied with feigned outrage. ‘I did nothing more than tip-off the butcher that the lovely new Mrs Bones might be in need of advice on what cuts of meat she should buy. I also made it clear that she was never to be short changed and the best cuts were always to be made available for her.’

Billy looked somewhat mollified.

‘Although,’ Silver added with a big grin. ‘I might, just possibly, have also suggested that Mrs Bones’ new husband had the appetite of at least _two_ men.’ 

Billy retightened his hold on Silver, who began to wince. ‘Fine,’ Billy said. ‘But don’t go thinking you’re going to be eating with us forever, Silver. This lasts only as long as it takes you to teach Abigail how to cook.’ He applied even more pressure to a grip already resembling a vice. Silver writhed in discomfort. ‘And don’t try to pull anything on me. We both know she’s a quick study.’ Billy let go of Silver only once the other man gasped out a promise.

Silver rubbed his arm to get the circulation going again. ‘I much prefer Abigail’s form of gratitude, to be honest,’ he muttered before he caught the look on Billy’s face with alarm. ‘Oh, no! Don’t look at me like that! I’ve promised to teach her to cook and nothing more.’ Silver held up both hands. ‘I swear, Billy, truly. Now, shall I go and get started on dinner?’

‘Yes, do,’ Billy replied with a grin, ‘I’m starving.’


End file.
